Postpartum Depression, Anxiety and Adjustment

“There is no way to be a perfect mother

and a million ways to be a good one”

~Jill Churchill

Postpartum depression and adjustment support for pregnancy and new moms

The “baby blues” only lasts for 2 week. Postpartum depression and adjustment struggles are different than the “baby blues.” If you do not feel like yourself within 2 weeks after baby arrives you need to start talking to somebody about how you’re feeling. I am here to help. Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) affect millions of new parents every year, and it doesn’t matter if this is your first baby of your seventh. Sometimes it just happens, it’s nobody’s fault. So many of the concerns I hear from new parents are very common, but you do not have to suffer through it alone.

1 in 7 moms and 1 in 10 dads experience postpartum depression

There are many ways to get back to feeling like yourself again, and I want to find what works for you. Together we will explore different aspects of wellness and self-care that are important in the postpartum period and identify how you are feeling about each of these areas. We will focus energy and efforts in specific aspects of your life, and identify what the most urgent to focus on first.

Identity

How are you feeling about yourself these days? How are adjusting to this new sense of who you are as a parent? How are you adjusting to the physical changes you’re experiencing? Do you feel like you have lost touch with You? Exploring this big and sometimes abstract concept often goes to the back burner when there is so much that needs to be done. But giving some time and space for you to connect with yourself is a huge aspect of adjusting to this change in life.

Thoughts & Emotions

These often go hand in hand. What we tell ourselves about ourselves and our lives will impact how we feel. So what does your self-talk sound like? I use CBT strategies to help change destructive thinking and self-perceptions. Perfectionism is seldom helpful, and usually a destructive habit for a new mom or dad because there is no such thing as a perfect parent. So stop expecting perfection from yourself and set more realistic expectations for yourself.

Trauma

For many new parents the experiences of pregnancy or birth can be traumatizing, often when there have been complications. The fears of harm to your baby, harm to yourself, harm to your partner can be overwhelming and affect you long after the immediate danger has passed.

Bonding

Do you feel connected with your baby yet? Lots of new parents beat themselves up unnecessarily because they don’t think they are connected “enough” to their new baby. This connection often develops over time, not overnight. There are many things new parents can do to support the connection they feel with a new baby.

Isolation

Having opportunities to engage with other adults is important. Feeling connected to others outside of your home helps keep isolation at bay. This may mean alone time with your partner, or time with friends, a group of new moms. So what support would you need in order to make this a priority?

Sleep

Are you sleeping? Is you baby sleeping? Is that sleep restful? Did you know that the greatest risk factor for depression in new parents is actually fatigue? It may sound simple, but we cannot overlook the importance of quality sleep during this period of your life.

Time for yourself

For many new moms taking care of themselves falls to the bottom of the priority list. But taking care of yourself is important. Get out of the house to do something you enjoy, embrace a hobby or some other entertainment for yourself. Having regular time for just You is not harmful to your baby. In fact, taking care of yourself is one of the best things you can do for your baby.

Support

What are your support systems? Who do you turn to for help? All new parents need help, that is the expectation. When you need help, guidance, reassurance, for the thousands of new experiences and tasks that come with being a new parent, do you feel like you have a tribe to call upon? Maybe you have more opportunities for support than you realize.

Stress and Worry

How are you managing the stress and worry that comes with being a new parent? Often new moms envision the worst possible scenario in any situation, and then feel terribly guilty. Remember that thoughts are different than actions, so don’t feel bad about what you think. We are biologically wired to be protectors of our young, and this protective energy may need to be directed in a more helpful way.

Physical Wellness

Our physical wellbeing is very closely connected to our emotional wellbeing. Are you getting good nutrition, do you have lasting pain or discomfort, are you getting fresh air and exercise? And keep in mind that exercise right now probably means going for a walk with your baby, and that is perfectly wonderful. I am not a medical doctor but I want to work with you and your doctor to address your physical wellbeing.

Don’t forget new dads

Studies of new and expecting fathers find that roughly 10% experience some form of depression themselves (Paulson & Bazemore, 2010). Dad, your wellbeing matters, so don’t hesitate to advocate for yourself. I’m here to help you too!

Here are some other details about working together on postpartum depression, anxiety and adjustment struggles:

Our conversations will last for 60 minutes. We can meet face-to-face in my office in downtown Rochester MI, or we can meet through a secure video conference. Often I meet with new moms or dads individually, but I strongly encourage including your spouse or partner if you would like to, for some or all appointments.
Before we meet, I will send you my intake forms online though a secure web portal. I will include a screen for postpartum depression, anxiety, and a health questionnaire.
Postpartum depression, anxiety, adjustment is diagnosable disorder. As such, our sessions are considered treatment for a health condition, and treatment is usually covered by insurance providers. If you would like to use your insurance to pay for sessions, we will work together to verify your insurance benefits before we meet.
If you do not want to use your insurance, we will have a private pay arrangement for the standard rate of $120 for one hour or $150 for a 90 minute appointment.

If you are ready to contact me please click the ‘I’m Interested!’ button below to get in touch with me, or check out the ‘How To Get Started’ page. My office is located in downtown Rochester, Michigan.

I’M INTERESTED!